Odisha non-autonomous colleges protest exclusion from CBCS

The Odisha government has decided not to implement the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) guidelines of the University Grants Commission (UGC) in all non-autonomous Plus Three colleges in the state this year citing lack of adequate infrastructure.

The state government has, however, decided to implement CBCS in all universities including all autonomous colleges under the Utkal University.

Protesting the decision of the government, some private Plus Three colleges under the Utkal University, in a letter to the Higher Education department, have demanded CBSC in their institutions claiming they have all necessary infrastructure criteria as per the UGC guidelines.

On the other hand, the Higher Education department has expressed its inability in a taking a decision in this regard.

“It is the university that gives permission to the colleges to implement CBCS. Since the work of the university is to prepare question papers and conduct examinations, it will decide the schedule of examinations and make separate arrangements for CBCS in these non-autonomous colleges,” said joint secretary, Higher Education, AK Nayak.

According to Sushant Kumar Das, Controller of Examinations, Utkal University, though the UGC has made implementation of its CBCS guidelines mandatory in all Plus Three colleges, most of the colleges do not have adequate infrastructure and staff. Considering this, the University has decided to implement CBCS in the autonomous colleges from this year.

“Since the university simultaneously conducts examinations and announces the results of all non-autonomous colleges, it will not be possible on its part to prepare separate question papers for the colleges having CBCS system and announce the results. Taking this into consideration, we have not given permission to any non-autonomous college for implementation of CBCS this year,” Das said.

In a letter to the Higher Education department, principal of Sai International College of Commerce and Economics, Sandip Ghosh has said there is a need for a change in the old syllabuses of the Utkal University.

He said as most of the colleges in other states have introduced CBCS in their academic curriculum, it will be very difficult for any student of Odisha to get admission in any leading institution in these states.

“Since we fulfill all CBCS guidelines of the UGC, we should be allowed to introduce the system in our institution from this year,” Ghosh claimed.